Council announces major event funding for 2018

Gladstone Regional Council has decided how it will spend money from the Major Events Advisory Panel budget.

For the second year running, the council will fund Gladstone Pop Con, a celebration of popular culture, superheros, comic books and more, to the tune of $13,000.

The event is a partnership between the council and event organisers PCYC Gladstone.

The council will also provide $15,000 funding towards the 2018 Captain Cook 1770 Festival.

The decision on the much-awaited funding for the Boyne Tannum HookUp has been postponed.

The 11th annual Alumina Quality Workshop did not receive funding under MEAP but Carly Quinn, coordinator and administrator of the MEAP, was anxious to assure the public this in no way meant the event would not be going ahead.

"MEAP has only got a very limited pool of funds and (the workshop) is not an ongoing event that will bring tourism to the region," Ms Quinn, also the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre manager said.

However she said they wanted these types of events to come to town.

"Based on some very conservative calculations the committee reconciled that the event was likely to have a minimum of $220,000 economic benefit to the region," Ms Quinn said.

"It was decided that funding would not be awarded through the MEAP program however the council is looking at other opportunities to support the event."

The MEAP was mandated to preference events which foster community pride, contribute to the local economy and raise awareness of the Gladstone region.

MEAP outcomes

Alumina Quality Workshop requested $21,600 for Alumina 2018 - International Conference. They have not been allocated any funds through the MEAP.